INVERTER Idle Current An Response Time

Based on Mr Wiz's observation, I am changing my story on what is my "baseline" DC at 0.3 amps to now being mostly the inverter connected but off. I had no idea that was the case, but it makes sense that it has to be ready to turn on.

For the same reason utilities do not buck AC service drops with a 5 pound transformerless box using SCRs and chopper circuits.

For the same reason a well designed battery charger with rectifiers and stout timer will outlive a solid state unit a hundred to one.

There is no p/n interface to punch holes through.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Other than pure sine wave from 1988 to 2018 has brought pathetically little improvement in performance and a downgrade in quality and longevity.

I am very surprised at the mark up on modern PSWs ! Electronics in the past 5-10 years have improved so much in this area that (minus the transformer(s)) the cost difference between a MSW and a PSW in the 2000W range is probably less than $25 !

I have a EE background and the one thing no one has ever been able to explain is why do "low frequency" PSW seem to last so much longer than "high frequency" ?

my clamp on DC amp meter, directly on the inverter leads (it does 3 places decimal moves as needed)
not the battery to house leads or converter leads

can read .999 9.99 99.9 (2) scales 0-40 amp
or 41-400 amp Ac or DC

How fast does it need to be? Seems good enough in all conditions. Otherwise just leave it on idle instead of sleep.

MrWizard wrote:
my 2000w PSW is around 280ma with batteries connected and remote switch off

turned on but NO connected loads, output cord disconnected/unplugged
around 700ma DC draw

I called that 0.280 ma my "baseline", and twice that when inverter on not loaded as being 0.3a inverter idle. How do you measure the "inverter" amps when the inverter is off as 0.3 (280), so not to mix in the LP alarm, etc baseline DC amps? Also to ma level--my Tri is only to one decimal, so 0.3a for me.

I don't think my inverter has any "sleep mode". It is on or off. When on and a load there is an efficiency. ISTR with inverters there is a range of efficiencies depending on the amount of load wrt the inverter's watt rating, with a sweet spot somewhere less than full but more than idle.

I think some people believe the amount lost to inefficiency is the same thing as the inverter's idle amps and you subtract that from the actual load draw. I don't think that is how it works at all.

Perhaps the comparison factors should include another one--relative efficiency and how flat is the curve along the top like with speakers?

my 2000w PSW is around 280ma with batteries connected and remote switch off

turned on but NO connected loads, output cord disconnected/unplugged
around 700ma DC draw

Trace called it sleep mode. Other than pure sine wave from 1988 to 2018 has brought pathetically little improvement in performance and a downgrade in quality and longevity. Thirty years.

time2roll wrote:
Idle? Most are close to one amp per thousand watts.

I think what you describe is a sleep mode where the inverter periodically searches for a load. I don't see any improvement in new inverters for this function this area either.

I tend to Agree.

Idle? Most are close to one amp per thousand watts.

I think what you describe is a sleep mode where the inverter periodically searches for a load. I don't see any improvement in new inverters for this function this area either.